Stanford Le Hope v BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet 3rd XI on Sat 25 Jun 2005 at 13:30
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Lost 61 runs
Stanford Le Hope v Benfleet IIIs
25th June 2005
Stanford Le Hope : 239 all out.
Benfleet : 185 all out. Stanford won by 61 runs : Benfleet 7 pts, Stanford 18 pts.
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Stanford Le Hope – played 5 lost 5 up to our visit, looked like one of the easier fixtures on the calendar, but it proved anything but on a cold and miserable mid-summer’s day.
After two morale boosting wins the only concerns were ‘an understrength side’ fielding two new guys and two of our less experienced colts, as well as the wicket which was green and damp.
After winning the toss we elected to field, hoping to make the best of the conditions.
A major plus for Benfleet was the return of the Messiah !!!
Yes Heathy is back. Despite not having bowled a ball since last summer he looked pretty fit and with a haircut that could give Alg a run for his money we remained hopeful.
J.Heath and J.Scarff started the bowling with Scarff removing one opener for 0, and we had high hopes that today was going to be alright. The ball was jagging around off the pitch and Heath in particular beat the bat numerous times without finding an edge. Gradually the Stanford batsmen settled into the conditions and began to score runs.
Midway through the innings with Heathy having bowled a very good spell of 17overs for 56 runs, but with just one wicket to show for it, changes had to be made and the bowling options began to look thin. Various options were tried, some more successful than others, before M.Willis 5-0-19-2 and S.Rowe 7-2-28-4 mopped up the Stanford innings leaving ourselves a target of 239 to beat in testing conditions. The other noteworthy point was the 8 catches that were taken (surely not often achieved at 3rd team level !), Jackson 2, Scarf 2, Heath 2, Willis and Walsh.
Fuller and McInnes of Stanford both scored 60 odd, which later proved to be the difference. McInnes in particular, scoring quickly and nearly killing a bystander at the long-on boundary. A powerfully hit drive spat like a firework off the pitch, straight at a bloke with a small child in one hand and a pint in the other. Instinctively he pushed the child to the ground before realising at the last minute he was now about to be executed – at the last second he ducked out of the way, carelessly spilling half a pint, before consoling his now distraught child, who was wondering why daddy had flattened him/her.
Anyway…. Tea was a subdued affair as we pondered what was going to be a tricky run chase.
The weather refused to shift and our reply began under a lead coloured sky. Without A.Jarrett it was left to M.Willis and M.Jackson to begin the chase. Despite a few airy shots from Willis, we reached 45 without loss before Jacko missed a straight one and was sent back by McInnes for 29, after last week’s run-out disaster it was at least a ‘normal’ dismissal.
Willis hung around for a while for 38, before evasively turning a wayward full-toss off his hip to square leg and the wickets started to fall. Scott Walsh (first game for the club) hit a battling 21, keeping J.Scarff company, but when Scarff fell for 32 with partners falling around him, the game slipped away. Heathy doubled his ‘career total’ with a cameo 11 near the end, but we were left to rue some poor bowling choices and the fact that no-one could make the big contribution required to chase down the home team’s total.
The Messiah may be back, but it wasn’t enough to win the match.
(Oh yes, and he’s not available next week !)
Next up : Home to Epping.
M.Willis : 28/6/05
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet 3rd XI Batting
185 for 10
Stanford Le Hope Bowling
| I.Sanderson |
5.4 |
0 |
27 |
1 |
27.00 |
4.76 |
| S.McInnes |
11.0 |
3 |
29 |
2 |
14.50 |
2.64 |
| J.Key |
7.0 |
0 |
43 |
1 |
43.00 |
6.14 |
| M.Higgins |
4.0 |
0 |
33 |
2 |
16.50 |
8.25 |
| A.Hicks |
8.0 |
1 |
28 |
4 |
7.00 |
3.50 |
| J.Fuller |
4.0 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
0.00 |
4.50 |
Stanford Le Hope Batting
239 for 10
| N.Doherty |
0 |
Caught |
| J.Fuller |
61 |
Caught |
| G.Lake |
47 |
Caught |
| S.McInnes |
64 |
Caught |
| J.Drain |
8 |
Caught |
| A.Hicks |
8 |
Caught |
| I.Sanderson |
2 |
Caught |
| C.Willis |
8 |
Bowled |
| M.Higgins |
2 |
Caught |
| J.Key |
0 |
Bowled |
| H.Cook |
19 |
Stumped |
BENFLEET CRICKET CLUB Benfleet 3rd XI Bowling